For most purposes, the technical differences between TrueType and OpenType can be ignored. Some fonts with a {{Codeline|ttf}} extension are actually OpenType fonts.

For most purposes, the technical differences between TrueType and OpenType can be ignored. Some fonts with a {{Codeline|ttf}} extension are actually OpenType fonts.

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The typesetting application, ''TeX,'' and its companion font software, ''Metafont,'' render glyphs using their own methods. Some of the file extensions used for fonts by these two programs are {{Codeline|*pk}}, {{Codeline|*gf}}, {{Codeline|mf}} and {{Codeline|vf}}.

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The typesetting application, ''TeX,'' and its companion font software, ''Metafont,'' render characters using their own methods. Some of the file extensions used for fonts by these two programs are {{Codeline|*pk}}, {{Codeline|*gf}}, {{Codeline|mf}} and {{Codeline|vf}}.

Revision as of 05:13, 17 November 2009

Font formats

Most computer fonts used today are in bitmap or outline data formats. Bitmap fonts store fixed images for each glyph in each typeface and point size. Outline or vector fonts store characters as instructions for drawing each glyph's lines and curves. Outline fonts scale smoothly in size over a wide range.